Strabane Chronicle decorates walls of Budapest bar

IT’S always the same; no matter where you go in the world, you’re always likely to find something (or someone) that instantly reminds you of home.

So imagine the surprise for one Strabane couple who, on a recent trip to Budapest, came across a vintage copy of everyone’s favourite local newspaper.

Siobhan McDaid and her partner, Desi were in the bustling Hungarian capital last week when Desi spied a little piece of Strabane in, of all places, a pub toilet.

Taking up the story Siobhan explained, “My partner and I went to Budapest for a Coldplay concert – which was fabulous – and we went looking for an Irish bar in the city so we could watch the Tyrone vs Cork game; delighted that we won. We found a place called Beckett’s in the city and, when my partner went into the gent’s toilets, he found a row of Irish newspapers on the wall; one was the Strabane Chronicle! He took a snap and showed me when he returned. It was quite the surprise to find that in Budapest, I can tell you!”

The edition in question is dated Saturday May 22, 1936 and gives an interesting insight into Strabane life back in the 1930s. Priced at the (then) princely sum of a penny, readers could find out about medical appointments in Tyrone, how a motorist was found by Newtonstewart Petty Sessions to have no licence when stopped and about the death of a man who fell off a cart.

On a lighter note, there was an advert offering a sailing from Belfast to Canada for just £3!

Siobhan and Desi queried staff about how the Chronicle had made its way to Budapest but, as all the workers were local Hungarians and didn’t speak English, they were unable to find out.

Speaking ahead of continuing their trip to Vienna before heading home, Siobhan joked, “No doubt we’ll find ourselves an Irish bar again and take a bit more notice of what’s on the walls!”